Being Creative is Not Enough

From reading the title, I hope that you didn't relive a past or current trauma from your life as a creative, artist, or free spirit. That was not my intent. Keep reading, and you'll understand why.

One hot summer afternoon years ago, I sat on the couch inside my vintage Spanish-style apartment in Mid-City, Los Angeles, relishing in the moment of being a working artist. I had billboards up around the country, could afford groceries, and even had money left over to buy as many $.25 used books from the neighborhood library. As I thought, I'm pretty much the Black Zack Morris from Saved By The Bell; I heard the mail courier outside. As I opened the mailbox and sifted through the mail, my heart dropped.?

There was a letter from the IRS informing me how much I owed in taxes. The amount was enough to feed a small American city (yes, I'm being dramatic). Before then, my only real job was being a server at Chili's, and they took out taxes. Did my agent not take out taxes? Was he supposed to? Is this a setup by the powers that be? Though I could have done without the dramatic lesson in adulthood from God by way of the IRS, I learned at that moment that?just?being creative was not enough. I knew how to act, how to speak to crowds of thousands, and even rival Denzel if need be (please don't judge my confidence). I didn't realize that it's called Show Business for a reason. I knew nothing about the industry's business side, but I made it my mission to learn it.?

My creative career excelled as my knowledge expanded. My life and career changed because I was an actor and an entertainment professional. I found myself at the table with network VPs, CEOs of Fortune 500 companies, on vacation with folk who were once my childhood idols, and multiple streams of income to supplement all my new creative endeavors. It took work. I read every book I could get my hands on, worked jobs I despised, and missed numerous family functions back home in Tennessee.?

To all the creatives, artists, and free spirits, know that the life we want to live is obtainable; we just have to be disciplined, focused, kind (to ourselves and others), and learn the business that we're in. We can't change much from the outside. I'm rooting for all of us! There's enough success, peace, and rest available!?

From one creative to another, the best is yet to come!?

*This picture was captured in Chicago when I bought out a theater so some incredible youth on the Southside could see Black Panther.